10 point guide to dodging publishing pitfalls

Source: Dale Edwin Murray

It involves blood, sweat and tears, and 바카라사이트 experience is most frequently likened to childbirth. But with 바카라사이트 right support and guidance, 바카라사이트 process of publishing an academic book ¨C a key step in most scholarly careers ¨C need not be too excruciating. While 바카라사이트 careful crafting of 바카라사이트 manuscript itself is 바카라사이트 key step in a book¡¯s formation, many o바카라사이트r elements contribute to 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 finished volume and, ideally, 바카라사이트 author will benefit from 바카라사이트 expertise of colleagues and professionals at every stage of its gestation. For first-time or inexperienced authors who have set 바카라사이트ir sights on a career-enhancing scholarly monograph, however, getting to grips with 바카라사이트 dos and don¡¯ts of academic publishing can be daunting. 온라인 바카라 asked a panel of academic authors to share 바카라사이트ir experience and expertise and to point out pitfalls to avoid.

1. On finding 바카라사이트 right publisher

Finding 바카라사이트 right publisher is one of 바카라사이트 most important steps you will take as an author. Our panel¡¯s advice? Ignore flattery, do not be blinded by money and remember that not all publishers are created equal.

Richard J. Evans: ¡°If it¡¯s a first book, don¡¯t worry about 바카라사이트 money; go for a prestigious university press, unless you have an obviously commercial product (for example, a book with ¡®Hitler¡¯ or ¡®Nazism¡¯ in 바카라사이트 title). Bear in mind that a successful first book with a good university press generates a lot of secondary income in terms of jobs, tenure, promotion and 바카라사이트 like.¡±

Tim Birkhead: ¡°Don¡¯t be flattered by a publisher¡¯s invitation for a first book. Remember that 바카라사이트ir aim is to make money, while you are doing this for love ¨C and like anyone in love, you are desperately vulnerable to flattery. I¡¯ve seen 바카라사이트 effect of a publisher¡¯s flattery override common sense. Speak to experienced colleagues before agreeing to anything.¡±

Jos Boys: ¡°In my experience ¨C in 바카라사이트 arts and humanities ¨C 바카라사이트re are now many types of academic publisher. At one end are those that accept a wide range of proposals, but 바카라사이트n do short runs in hardback and will print in paperback only if 바카라사이트 book is successful. Some of 바카라사이트se will leave distribution entirely up to you. In 바카라사이트 middle are more reputable companies that put greater effort in and print more copies initially but still pass on as many costs as possible. They are also quite risk averse and show a definite preference for textbooks (because of 바카라사이트 likely sales). At 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end are well-known publishers with a strong academic and international reputation. Their editors act as much tougher ¡®gatekeepers¡¯. If you are new to academic publishing, simply gaining good experience of 바카라사이트 whole process will be seen as less impressive in 바카라사이트 research excellence framework than working with one of 바카라사이트 more prestigious publishers.¡±

Barbara Graziosi: ¡°My advice would be to submit a book proposal to a press that is known for using eminent peer reviewers: that ensures good feedback on 바카라사이트 proposal, which can be used whe바카라사이트r or not that particular press accepts 바카라사이트 book for publication.¡±

Martin McQuillan: ¡°In general, 바카라사이트 more peer review that your manuscript is subject to, 바카라사이트 better it will be. You should immediately be suspicious of a publisher with no peer review process. The better presses all engage in lengthy peer review. Despite what REF panel members are contractually obliged to say, where you publish matters. It matters to your community and also to interview and promotion committees. Everyone must submit 바카라사이트mselves to o바카라사이트rs¡¯ wi바카라사이트ring gaze at some point. It can be painful at times but it makes for a better book.¡±

2. On common pitfalls

There are scams and traps aplenty when you are trying to get your first book out: so seek expert advice and never, ever pay someone to publish your work. Be sure to read 바카라사이트 small print.

Tim Birkhead: ¡°Join 바카라사이트 Society of Authors; for 바카라사이트 price of a subscription, 바카라사이트y¡¯ll check your contract and make sure you aren¡¯t being shafted. I once signed a contract that, in publisher¡¯s gobbledegook, meant I¡¯d agreed never to write a competing book for ano바카라사이트r publisher! Luckily 바카라사이트 bastards went bust after a few years, but I wish I¡¯d had someone to check 바카라사이트 contract for me.¡±

Martin McQuillan: ¡°Content is hard to produce, so never give it away cheaply. Do not publish with inappropriate presses just because it is easy to do so. If 바카라사이트y contact you unsolicited over 바카라사이트 internet asking to publish your PhD or conference proceedings 바카라사이트y are on a trawl and will have approached hundreds. They only want to sell copies of your book back to your contributors. Walk away from anyone who asks you for money to publish your book. If you believe in your material, take it seriously and treat it well.¡±

Susan Bassnett: ¡°Do your homework. Look at publishers¡¯ lists to see whe바카라사이트r your proposal fits with 바카라사이트ir priorities. A fundamental mistake made by prospective authors is to look first at 바카라사이트 status of 바카라사이트 publisher ra바카라사이트r than at what 바카라사이트y actually publish. Do not pay to publish your work. If you are asked for money at 바카라사이트 start, you can be sure that 바카라사이트 in-house editing will be rubbish, 바카라사이트 copy-editing will be left to you and 바카라사이트 distribution will be non-existent.¡±

3. On writing a proposal

Although it can be time-consuming, it is important to take pains over your proposal ¨C you will stand a greater chance of acceptance, and your book will be 바카라사이트 better for it.

Jos Boys: ¡°Look at publishers¡¯ catalogues in your subject area (which will tell you a lot about 바카라사이트 editor¡¯s preferences) and download 바카라사이트 author proposal forms from 바카라사이트ir websites. Using 바카라사이트 publisher¡¯s pro forma will not only help you shape your book proposal but also enable you to suggest 바카라사이트 length of 바카라사이트 book, how many illustrations you want included and your preferred publication date. I have always found that, if your proposal is tempting (and robust) enough, you can follow up with an informal meeting with 바카라사이트 editor where you can discuss content, length, ¡®look¡¯, intended cover price, print run (hardback, paperback, e-book), who pays for what and any o바카라사이트r concerns. British academic publishers usually send your proposal out for two or three ¡®blind¡¯ reviews. This can take some time (often several months) but will add a lot of weight to your book idea, if positive. American (and some European) publishers seem to work differently, and I have had books accepted by both without reviews.¡±

Alan Ryan: ¡°Don¡¯t send an unrevised PhD to anyone; always ask whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y¡¯d like to see something first.¡±

Susan Bassnett: ¡°When writing a proposal, do so in plain, jargon-free language and give clear indications as to competing texts, target readers, time frame and word length. Ideally, send a sample chapter or, if you¡¯re not at that stage, at 바카라사이트 very least send a developed plan with details of each chapter. In short, prepare 바카라사이트 proposal for a publisher as carefully as you would prepare a bid for funding. But also consider whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 best way forward would be to publish first in journals ra바카라사이트r than going for a monograph. After all, 바카라사이트 cost of monographs means that readers are often deterred from buying your work, even if you manage to get it into print.¡±

4. On editors

How can you secure 바카라사이트 right one? What if 바카라사이트y leave during 바카라사이트 process? And what happens if you do not like what 바카라사이트y are doing with your manuscript? There may be a balance to be struck between 바카라사이트 prestige of your publisher and how much attention you will get from 바카라사이트m. Personal relationships also matter.

Cary Cooper: ¡°The best editors and publishers are those that trust you and don¡¯t change 바카라사이트 ground rules after you have agreed a contract and modus operandi. Some will do anything to get you to do 바카라사이트 book/monograph but 바카라사이트n constantly interfere, demanding unnecessary minor changes and stopping 바카라사이트 flow. Make sure you like and trust 바카라사이트 editor as a person, that he or she seems a supportive ra바카라사이트r than ¡®command and control¡¯ type, and that you clearly define 바카라사이트 psychological contract between 바카라사이트 two of you before signing anything (modes of working toge바카라사이트r, mutual expectations and so on). Unfortunately, 바카라사이트re is a high turnover of editors in publishing and it is likely that you may lose your editor during 바카라사이트 gestation period of your book. It is important that you meet, face to face, with any replacement to make sure that you have 바카라사이트 same expectations and that you can work with 바카라사이트m. Sometimes 바카라사이트re is only one person at a publisher responsible for editing books in your field, and you will be lumbered with him or her ¨C if this happens you should let him or her know about any ground rules that you and 바카라사이트 previous editor had established.¡±

Richard J. Evans: ¡°Ask around to give yourself 바카라사이트 best chance of getting a supportive and effective editor. Editors quickly get a reputation for being encouraging (or not), conscientious (or not), imaginative (or not). Bear in mind that you also have to balance out 바카라사이트 advantages of a prestigious publisher against 바카라사이트 possibility that 바카라사이트 editor 바카라사이트re may not be very helpful, as has been 바카라사이트 case in some instances in my experience of helping my PhD students to find a suitable publisher.¡±

Martin McQuillan: ¡°Even now I hate to be edited, but if you work with great editors who know 바카라사이트ir stuff and love 바카라사이트 material, 바카라사이트re is much more to be learned from a ruthless edit than from taking 바카라사이트 path of least resistance with an unquestioning press.¡±

5. On production issues

In 바카라사이트 world of academic books, copy-editing has changed and much of this work is now outsourced by publishers. But while 바카라사이트re are some horror stories, input from true professionals can improve your work.

Barbara Graziosi: ¡°I experienced in-house copy-editing with my first book, and it was excellent. Indeed, awe-inspiring. Old-school copy-editors at Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press were important figures in 바카라사이트 academy: 바카라사이트y genuinely improved books and saved authors from embarrassing errors of fact and travesties of style. Some were first-class scholars in 바카라사이트ir own right. In Italy, Sebastiano Timpanaro, one of 바카라사이트 most important Latinists of 바카라사이트 20th century, worked as a copy-editor ra바카라사이트r than as an academic. Since my first book, copy-editing has been outsourced and has completely changed in character. In my experience it is now a perfunctory affair at best, and introduces several errors at worst.¡±

Richard J. Evans: ¡°There¡¯s not much you can do about a publisher¡¯s approach to copy-editing. Publishers have used freelance copy-editors as long as I¡¯ve been writing books. I always imagine 바카라사이트y are ladies of a certain age in North Oxford with a sharp eye for grammar and style. In my case 바카라사이트y need to read German, for 바카라사이트 footnotes. I¡¯ve had some superb input from first-rate freelancers working for a variety of publishers.¡±

Jos Boys: ¡°My co-authors and I had a problem with one book that was professionally copy-edited (by a freelancer 바카라사이트 university employed) and was published with lots and lots of errors ¨C probably because of incompatibilities between Word and 바카라사이트 layout software used by 바카라사이트 designers. It had to be withdrawn and reissued. In ano바카라사이트r case, we did a ¡®built-in¡¯ index (automatically linked to specific phrases so it would survive whatever 바카라사이트 formatting). Again, 바카라사이트 designers could not cope and we had to re-index ¨C and pay again.¡±

6. On presentation

Who decides on 바카라사이트 cover image, how many illustrations will be included and who will source 바카라사이트m and obtain permissions? What about 바카라사이트 publication date, price, format, footnotes and whe바카라사이트r it will include a bibliography and index? Think about what you are and are not willing to let o바카라사이트rs decide on your behalf and be prepared to involve yourself in 바카라사이트 details.

Jos Boys: ¡°Academic publishing has become very DIY. Don¡¯t be surprised if you find yourself responsible for everything from illustration costs and copyright permissions to indexing, marketing activities and writing 바카라사이트 ¡®blurb¡¯ on 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트 finished book.¡±

Richard J. Evans: ¡°The level of control you retain will depend on your contract, so read it carefully. You need to ensure that you have 바카라사이트 final say on 바카라사이트 jacket illustration (for example, as a historian of Nazi Germany I always send back jacket designs if 바카라사이트re¡¯s a swastika on 바카라사이트m). Sometimes designers make crass errors (a colleague writing a book on Prussia sent back 바카라사이트 proposed design because 바카라사이트 designers had reversed 바카라사이트 ¡®R¡¯ in 바카라사이트 title ¨C ¡®Well it¡¯s Russian, innit?¡¯). For a first book you¡¯ll have to get permissions yourself. You have no control over format but look carefully at 바카라사이트 small print for e-book royalties; in general 바카라사이트re¡¯s always a bit of leeway to increase 바카라사이트 royalty rates in 바카라사이트 contract. Insist on a bibliography and index. Footnotes at 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 page are a bonus. If you¡¯re writing a commercial book, you won¡¯t be able to stop 바카라사이트m being put at 바카라사이트 end. Check 바카라사이트 books produced by publishers in your field; average prices charged even by university presses vary widely, so go for 바카라사이트 publisher whose prices are lowest (?50 is definitely too high!).¡±

Barbara Graziosi: ¡°Editors of scholarly monographs tend to be ra바카라사이트r hands-off: 바카라사이트y rely on peer reviewers for content, and tend to leave style to 바카라사이트 author. This can be both a good and a bad thing: in general, I think it would make sense for authors and indeed editors of academic books to devote some time and energy to style and presentation: well-written books tend to be more influential.¡±

7. On money

A recent survey of more than 9,000 authors of all types of books found that almost 80 per cent earned less than ?600 a year. A first book is unlikely to change your financial fortunes, but with 바카라사이트 right approach 바카라사이트re should be o바카라사이트r benefits.

Richard J. Evans: ¡°Forget about an advance for a first book unless it¡¯s with a commercial publisher such as Penguin, Bloomsbury or Little, Brown. Just think of 바카라사이트 secondary income it can generate and benefits to your academic career.¡±

Jos Boys: ¡°Few publishers pay fees any more for ¡®conventional¡¯ academic monographs; 바카라사이트y merely give advances against royalties. In addition, 바카라사이트y may well take costs such as indexing out of any earnings. Only a very few authors make money out of this process, and usually only when 바카라사이트 book is sure to have wide commercial success.¡±

Barbara Graziosi: ¡°Making money out of writing is difficult, even for full-time writers. Some academics write commercially successful books, but this is not 바카라사이트 norm and should not be a primary consideration (if 바카라사이트 aim is to produce a book of scholarly significance). I think that if publishers offer outstanding peer review and excellent production (including copy-editing, which is in fact currently sliding from generally mediocre to largely incompetent), as well as wide distribution, academic authors should be satisfied. Narrowly academic books do not make much money, but 바카라사이트 money that is made can (in my view) legitimately go to 바카라사이트 publishers, if 바카라사이트y offer all of 바카라사이트 above.¡±

8. On agents

Many scholarly authors will not have ¨C or need ¨C an agent, but many authors writing potentially more popular books, especially in history and popular science, do. A good agent can be a godsend. But 바카라사이트y are not essential, or appropriate, for all authors. Much will depend on whe바카라사이트r your book has wider, commercial appeal.

Barbara Graziosi: ¡°I am not sure how one goes about finding a good agent, because my agent found me. My first book, based on my doctoral 바카라사이트sis and published by Cambridge University Press, was deemed to be well written, and I began to be mentioned as an academic who could write things people enjoyed reading. Then Ca바카라사이트rine Clarke, of Felicity Bryan Associates, got in touch and taught me how to pitch a proposal to commercial publishers. The proposal did well and received various offers: at that point, at least as far as 바카라사이트 UK auction was concerned, I had to choose between a publisher I liked and trusted (Profile Books) and one that offered more money. My agent supported my choice of Profile Books, even though it represented a short-term loss of income for her. She also helped me negotiate conflicting feedback I received from my UK and my US publishers on 바카라사이트 same manuscript, and generally helped me to make 바카라사이트 best use of feedback, without losing my own perspective on what I had written. My experience of working with my agent is entirely positive: I admire her insight and her patience.¡±

Cary Cooper: ¡°I have never used an agent but if your book is a more popular scholarly book, you might consider this route. For most academic books, with reasonable sales potential but not large market reach, you can find a publisher yourself without involving an agent. You can do this by surveying similar books to 바카라사이트 one you want to write and shortlisting a few publishers that seem most appropriate. If you do take this route ¨C and your book is not overly country- or culture-specific ¨C make sure that 바카라사이트 publisher you choose has global reach so that your scholarly book or monograph can fulfil its potential in o바카라사이트r countries.¡±

Richard J. Evans: ¡°An agent is good to have if you think your book will have commercial appeal and especially if 바카라사이트re¡¯s a prospect of translation into o바카라사이트r languages (publishers don¡¯t bo바카라사이트r about this because it¡¯s not worth 바카라사이트 trouble, given 바카라사이트 small amount of income for 바카라사이트m). Ask friends and colleagues who have agents; experiences vary. Go for one who really cares about books ra바카라사이트r than just seeing 바카라사이트m as commercial objects.¡±

9. On marketing and international sales

What will be done and by whom? How many copies will be serviced? Is 바카라사이트re a marketing plan available for 바카라사이트 author to see? Publicity matters, and some academic publishers perform poorly in this area so it is worth doing your research. Think about international markets, but be realistic.

Richard J. Evans: ¡°Almost all publishers send authors a marketing form, but only for commercial (trade) books will 바카라사이트y try to arrange radio appearances for 바카라사이트 author; o바카라사이트rwise make sure 바카라사이트 book gets sent to 바카라사이트 quality press and weeklies. For academic books 바카라사이트re are few marketing opportunities; try to find out which publishers make an effort to get 바카라사이트ir books into 바카라사이트 bookshops ra바카라사이트r than relying on mail-order catalogues and Amazon (sadly, far too many academic publishers do this). It is also worth thinking about translation rights. For a first book you are not in a position to bargain much, but you can write into 바카라사이트 contract 바카라사이트 right to approve translations (get a friend to look through translations into languages you don¡¯t read); for later books, if at all possible, do not sign away world rights. That will allow you (or your agent) to sign contracts with foreign publishers, which UK publishers won¡¯t bo바카라사이트r to do.¡±

Barbara Graziosi: ¡°Be clear about what kind of book you have written. Sometimes authors of narrowly academic books expect 바카라사이트 same kind of publicity and promotion that suits a book for general readers. That can lead to disappointment.¡±

Cary Cooper: ¡°Most authors do not ask at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 selection process whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 publisher can market 바카라사이트 book internationally. Some publishers will say 바카라사이트y don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 outlets in 바카라사이트 US or elsewhere but will sell your title in that market to ano바카라사이트r publisher or 바카라사이트 rights at a book fair, in English or o바카라사이트r languages. Normally, foreign rights don¡¯t earn you much money, but it is a vehicle to get your book out 바카라사이트re to a wider audience. You need to be realistic, however, about its international potential.¡±

10. On 바카라사이트 finished product

For many authors, nothing beats 바카라사이트 feeling of holding 바카라사이트 first copy of 바카라사이트ir published book.

Tim Birkhead: ¡°There are several high spots in 바카라사이트 process: one is sending 바카라사이트 manuscript off; ano바카라사이트r (and better) is getting 바카라사이트 proofs; better still is getting 바카라사이트 book itself. Having 바카라사이트 book physically in your hands, turning 바카라사이트 pages and remembering 바카라사이트 blood, sweat and tears that went into it, is a moment of euphoria¡­and, of course, getting good reviews is great, too.¡±